- ContributedSilver medal works at the National Fine Arts Exhibition from left "Midnight in Bloom" in the professional category, and "Cartoons" in the youth category.
Georgia Hemmings, Staff Reporter
THE annual National Fine Arts Exhibition is in dire need of a permanent exhibition site - a need underscored every year when the show has to be staged at a different location in the city.
Last year, the exhibition was housed at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. This year, the challenge has been taken up by Grosvenor Galleries in Manor Park, St. Andrew. Owner/director, Douglas Reid and his staff have provided facilities to house the winning entries, as their sponsorship/contribution in this 40th anniversary year.
The pieces are spread over four interconnected rooms and a small alcove, but the venue is clearly not suitable for the show on any long-term basis.
Entering the main gallery, the works of four silver medallists meet the eye - Midnight in Bloom ( Vivienne Logan) and Puppets (Israel Delmonte) in the professional category, and Cartoons (Ajaay Allen) and A Rainy Day (Alexa McGowan) in the youth category.
No amateur entry was awarded a silver medal, but the category obtained the most bronze medals (14), and the majority of these are displayed in the main gallery. The four-member judging panel commended the "high standard" of some of the amateur entries, and several artists collected more than one award.
In this latter category are Caroline Miles (whose clay ceramics are sculpted in an intriguing, expressive blend) and Stacey-Ann Hyde (with two deceptively simple works), Abbebe Payne (expressing his Rastafrian identity), Nicole Risden (with works containing elements of social commentary on abuse) and Ebony Patterson (exploring ideas of identity).
Amateur works
In other amateur works, Coyotito Bennett treats the Man with Abeng both realistically and abstractly; Corretta Singer depicts a mystical Xenia: Nature in Existence, while words and images combined for the messages in The Babysitter; Series #60 (Oneika Russel) and The Isle of Spring (Milton Skeen).
Devon Garcia presented Mother and Child in bas relief, while Maxine Chin's portrait (Through the Years) is very expressive.
In the professional category, Carl Dennis' Beautiful Jamaica received a Jamaica 40th anniversary bronze award, with fittingly appropriate national symbols superimposed on a "land of wood and water", while Sylvan Notice's surrealistic paintings dramatise rural experiences (Revival and Standpipe).
Professional printmaker Eugenio D'Melon collected two bronzes for his etchings and Andy Jefferson also received two. Bronzes were awarded also to Austin Campbell (sculpture), Maxine Gray (ceramics), and Eugenio D'Melon, Israel Delmonte and Carlton Lewis in the professional drawing category.
Designer Boot (Maxine Gray), Mah Ageata (David Betton), and Central Branch Family are among the notable pieces awarded certificates of merit among the professionals.
About 20 works were also on display which had received no award, but were deemed by the judges of a "worthy" standard to be included in a national exhibition.
Talent exposed
In the youth category, quiet talent was exposed, and, in addition to two silver, entrants were awarded 11 bronzes and nine certificates of merit.
At six years old, silver medallist Ajaay Allen is the youngest entrant in the competition, and produced ideas related to television, home and school. Bronze medallists are Sanhikan Williams, Stephanie Black, Andrew Walcott, Fabian Walker, Wmoloki McPherson, Vhas E. Vassell, Kadeem Nugent, and Vaughn H. Vassell.
This year, the youth entries were spread across a variety of categories, in contrast to previous years when there was a heavy concentration on paintings and drawing. There were ceramic, print-making and sculpture.
In the overall exhibition, apart from print-making, painting, sculpture, ceramics and drawing, fibre and leather arts were represented by one amateur entry each.
The illustrated exhibition catalogue was made possible with assistance from the National Commercial Bank, while The Art Centre part-sponsored the awards.
The National Fine Arts exhibition will continue at Grovesnor Galleries until August 16, and, hopefully by next year, a permanent home might be found for this event.
